The Council is on track for a record performance in recycling thanks to local residents, who’ve been doing their bit to reduce the amount of waste not being recycled.
This financial year (2014/15) it is forecast that 80% of the waste collected from homes will be recycled and/ or treated (*).
Last year this figure was just under 75% and of this, 48% was sent for recycling, reuse and composting.
Rubbish not recycled goes to a mechanical biological treatment plant at Avonmouth for treatment, not landfill.
Some materials including metals can be reclaimed for recycling during this process, however it is still cheaper and more environmentally-friendly to collect materials separately for recycling through the green box, food waste and blue bag collections.
Cllr David Dixon (Lib Dem, Oldfield), Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said: “It is great news that our recycling rates continue to increase year on year.
“In 2012-13, we recycled and recovered 58% of the waste collected from local homes – we’re now on track to hit 80%.
“This not only benefits the environment, it helps saves taxpayers money because it means we are not sending this material as rubbish to the mechanical biological treatment plant.”
Although the Council is diverting most household waste from the treatment plant, the amount of rubbish being collected in total is continuing to rise and people are still putting items in their black sacks that could be recycled.
Cllr Dixon added: “We need to work with local people to tackle this – we know that over a quarter of the waste in the black sacks is food waste which should be recycled separately.
“Residents need to make full use of their green box , blue bag and food waste recycling collections; through these different methods most items can be recycled so there should be very little left to throw away in their rubbish.
“Sending waste to the mechanical biological treatment centre costs more than recycling so we all pay for this through our Council Tax.”
The Council is also looking to tackle issues with gulls in the Bath wards of Oldfield and Westmoreland wards with new reusable bags.
In response to feedback from local residents the Council is providing free reusable rubbish bags to around 2,666 properties.
